Sydney man charged after Chatswood balcony stand-off

A man who spent more than 12 hours in a high-rise balcony stand-off with police has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend hours before her body was found in a laneway below.

The body of Hee Kyong Choi, 34, was found in an alley off Brown Street, in the heart of the busy Chatswood shopping and business district, early yesterday by a tradesman.

June Oh Seo, 37, remained perched on a perspex roof above a balcony on the 27th floor of the residential building, while the woman's body remained below, until he climbed back inside the high-rise at 7pm.

A Korean-speaking officer was involved in the negotiations.

The man was on the balcony for more than 12 hours. (9NEWS) ()The man appeared agitated at times and was given cigarettes and water by police throughout the day, but it wasn't until after 7pm that he gave himself up. (9NEWS) ()The man, who spent more than 12 hours on the balcony, has since been charged. (9NEWS) (9NEWS)

The man spent this morning being questioned at Chatswood Police Station before he was charged with one count of occasioning actual bodily harm related to an earlier incident.

Superintendent Philip Flogel last night said the pair had been in a relationship for at least a couple of weeks.

"We believe this may be a domestic violence-related incident," he told reporters at the scene.